Phoenix Ancient Art to Premiere Important Collection of Greek Vases at Its New York City Gallery

Phoenix Ancient Art to Premiere Important Collection of Greek Vases at Its New York City Gallery

October 19, 2006

Masterpieces From Major Painters Among the Most Important Vases Remaining in Private Hands

    NEW YORK, Oct. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix
Ancient Art, one of the world's leading dealers in rare,
high quality antiquities from Western civilizations, today
announced that its exhibition, "The Painter's Eye: The
Art of Greek Ceramics. Greek Vases from a Swiss Private
Collection and Other European Private Collections,"
will be unveiled at its New York City gallery on October
20, 2006, opening to the public on October 21, and
remaining on view until November 11, 2006.

    This will be the first time that this particular
collection of vases will be going on public display, some
of which have not been seen in over 30 years.  

    "We pursued this collection for five years,
knowing that the opportunity to obtain such a rare
collection of Greek vases, painstakingly selected for their
beauty, quality and integrity, would probably never present
itself again," says Ali Aboutaam, president of Phoenix
Ancient Art.  

    The exhibit will be accompanied by the publication of a
corresponding scholarly catalogue featuring the 26 pieces,
which range in date from the mid-6th century B.C. to the
late 4th century B.C. A number of these wonderful vases
have previously been unpublished, highlighting the
timeliness of Phoenix's decision to bring such treasures of
antiquity into the light. 

    "When most people think of ancient art, one of the
first images that come to mind, perhaps now more than ever,
is a Greek vase," said Hicham Aboutaam, co-founder of
Phoenix Ancient Art. "The power of these timeless
works of art to evoke the glories of Western art in the
public consciousness is extraordinary."

    "Even in antiquity, Greek vases were treasured as
trophies and heirlooms," says Ali Aboutaam. Voracious
foreign demand also led to their travel and export
throughout the Mediterranean. The most skilled potters and
vase painters would develop their own followings in much
the same way that paintings collectors today look for
Picassos or Rembrandts."

    While no actual Picassos are on display, Phoenix's show
certainly features some of his ancient equivalents. Painters
such as Macron, Dikaios and Brygos, among the masters of
their craft, present compositions executed with a grace and
beauty that illustrate an incredibly high level of
draftsmanship and aesthetic sensitivity.

    It is easy to see how these vessels have attracted
devoted collectors for over 2,000 years, from Roman
conquerors to Enlightenment era intellectuals to modern day
diplomats. In this case, the names of the collectors can be
of just as much importance as the names of the artists.
Consider two beautiful and unusually large amphorae, or
wine vessels, with lively depictions of satyrs and maenads
in the midst of their drunken revels. They were excavated
and published by Lucien Bonaparte, the Prince of Canino and
half brother of Emperor Napoleon I. 

    One of the highlights of the show displays a brilliance
of craftsmanship and design that is matched by an equally
fascinating history: a 6th century B.C. amphora by the
Antimenes Painter depicting Heracles battling the Nemean
Lion -- arguably one of his finest works -- hails from the
early 19th century collection at Capesthorne Hall, one of
Britain's great country estates. Home to the
Bromley-Davenport family, this marvelous vase belonged to
Sir Edward Davies Davenport (1778-1847), a politician and
intellectual who fell in love with the Classical world and
amassed his collection during his European Grand Tour. 

    A number of the vessels are also decorated with genre
scenes of daily life, which are sure to be of interest to
both casual students of antiquity as well as to seasoned
collectors and academics. Themes such as a music lesson,
the cleaning of a fish for a meal and athletes exercising
are treated with equal care, the lively, colorful images
giving us a tantalizing glimpse into the ancient world.   

    A 121-page catalogue entitled, "The Painter's Eye:
The Art of Greek Ceramics. Greek Vases from A Swiss Private
Collection and Other European Collections (2006),"
featuring 64 color photos, glossary of terms and
bibliography will be available for purchase at the
gallery.

    Located at 47 East 66th Street in Manhattan, the
gallery will be open to the public Monday-Friday, 11am-6pm
and Saturday-Sunday, 12pm-5pm.  For more information call
[phone] or visit http://www.phoenixancientart.com . 


    ABOUT PHOENIX ANCIENT ART

    With galleries in New York City and Geneva,
Switzerland, Phoenix Ancient Art (
http://www.phoenixancientart.com ) is one of the world's
leading dealers in rare and exquisite antiquities from
cultures that make up the essence of Western Civilization.
Its works of art have been purchased by world-class museums
around the globe, as well as by private individuals.
Formally incorporated in 1995, Phoenix Ancient Art is a
second-generation family business that was founded by
Sleiman Aboutaam in 1968 and continues today under the
leadership of his sons, Ali and Hicham. 

    For more information, please contact:

     Justin Perras 
     Dukas Public Relations
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Phoenix Ancient Art